New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1887-07-06

lsS
! After that the deacon himself was
obliged to present to- his aunt the al
formative Of keeping out Of the sick
chose the former in high dud geon.
These were strange days for Deacon
Grant. Never, sincehe had had a house
of his own, had he passed week with
out company. He felt that his cardinal
virtue was fast rusting through disuse.
Even the most assiduous droppers-in
had ceased to come, for the doctor had
not failed to notify the entire village
that there must be no guests at the
Grand mansion. Vas there anything
the matter with his wife, anyway ?
Aunt Myra said there was not, and
/ Aunt Myra was IN experienced nurse.
She complained OF no pain only Law
white and still 1t did seem as if it
were nothing but nervousness, and if
there was anything a woman ought not
| to be hundred in, it was nerves Fine
airs this young doctor was putting on |!
| What if Aunt Myra were right, and it
was all a plot between him and Aunt
/ Deborah
! Thus, for a week, the deacon fumed,
and on Sunday he started for the mill
his grand recruiting place for guests,
His wife heard the heavy wagon lum-
bering outof the yard, and though she
said not a word, Aunt Deborah noticed
that she grew more aud more restless
as the morning wore on and the pink
flush on her cheek deepened to GRIM
son.
When the doctor came at noon, he
| found her in high fever. .sHum -
he said, with an ominous shake of the
! head. Il have bin fighting typhoid
| symptoms from the first, and it looks
now as if they had gotten the better Of
me, What has occasioned the change?
Have you any idea?
The words were hardly spoken before
Mrs. Grant sprang up with wild
lightin hereye, crying, Flush they've
come. Did't tell you SO! He .azaUays
brings them from the mill. I must 20
right down and get dinner = while, at
! the same instant steps were heard on
the piazza below, and gruff masculine
voice announcing, '.You haye fine
view here, deacon"
Company! = gasped Aunt Debby,
and then flew to her charge, for it re-
quired all her own and the Doctor S
strength to keep her in bed.
All that afternoon she raved ssIs
there meat enough? O Sarah, have
you made the coffee How many are
| they Ten. twanty, oh, hundreds. and
and hundreds How can I feed them
all And Aunt Myra says the bread is
sour; she'll be sure to say it before
them. 0 James James!
The success of the dinner party was
never known. The deacon left before
they were seated at the table, and hur-
ried away, panic-stricken to his wife S
room, whence, as the sight of him only
/ increased her rawlings. he was sum-
marily elected by the doctor. All her
wild words burned into his soul, fix1n q
as he afterwards said, the brand of Cain
upon his brow.
There followed weary weeks-weeks
of anxious watching, weeks of prayer
and agony. Even Aunt Myra seemed
strangely subdued, while the deacon
moved about like man from whom all
hope had been crushed. There seemed
no ground for hope, and yet they hop
ed and waited.
! At last came the crisis. Tonight, y
said the. doctor, 'the fever will turn. 1
will watch while you both 90 away and
( pray for he knew we'll that neither
bursting heart could bear the strain Of
that watch.
Aunt Derby threw herself on the
sofa in the little parlor, and lay mo-
tionless; the deacon went out of doors.
Hour after hour he walked back and
forth in q dumb anguish which could
find no Inference, even in prayer. At
last he dragged himself into the parlor,
and said pleadingly, "Aunt Debby, do
you think there's any hope?''
eyes, = was the calm reply, ssthere
is great hope for her-that she will
soon be in a land where company is
unknown; and there is hope for you,
too. You can air your favorite text
on her tombstone only I should like
to add a footnoue, saying that, in this
instance. the given is used instead Of
sacrificed"
20 my God = said the stricken
man, bowling his head upon his hands;
'tn1y punishment is greater than I can
! bear"
| 'sDear friends broke in the doctor
"a glad note Of joy in his voice .'let
| US give thanks to the Father. The
crisis is passed, and she is sleeping
| sweetly.'
And they gave thanks, with stream
ing eyes and bated breath; such thanks
as can come only from hearts who
have watched their dearest down
through the death valley into the land
OF hope and life. And Aunt Debby
whispered through her tears: Forgive
me, James. The anguish had driven
me wild. !"
Il have nothing to forgive he an
swered stoutly. 81 deserve it all, and
much more. I can aever forgive my
SELF -
doctor" he continued meekly, after
Aunt Debby had stolen softly to the
room above, do you think if I were to
| send Amt My1.s, tayU w